Low profile optical lighting assembly for use in outside vehicle mirror and method of forming same

Abstract

An optical lighting assembly for use with a vehicular outside rearview mirror includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) mounted thereon. An optical device such as a light pipe is positioned adjacent to the LED for propagating light away from the LED. A mirror element includes at least one indicia where light escaping from the light pipe is used to illuminate the indicia.

We claim: 
     
       1. A low profile optical lighting assembly for use in an outside vehicular mirror comprising:
 at least one light source mounted to a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) so as to project light through a gap in the PCB to a second side of the PCB, wherein the light source has a height extending from the first side; 
 a lens optic device positioned on the second side of the PCB from the at least one light source and separated from the light source, wherein the lens optic device is configured to receive light from the light source and spread the light over an aperture larger than the gap, the aperture corresponding to at least one indicia; 
 a mirror element arranged parallel to the PCB comprising the at least one indicia, wherein light passing through the lens optic device illuminates the at least one indicia, wherein the PCB and the mirror element are substantially parallel to provide for the low profile; and 
 a cover member in direct contact with the first side of the PCB and forming a space approximately the height of the light source from the PCB. 
 
     
     
       2. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating element positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element such that light from the lens optic device passes through the aperture formed in the heating element for illuminating the at least one indicia. 
 
     
     
       3. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one indicia is at least one from the group of a triangular shape, a figure representing two adjacent vehicles and a turn signal chevron. 
     
     
       4. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein at least the at least one light source and the lens optic device have a depth in a range between approximately 4 mm to 9 mm. 
     
     
       5. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the indicia includes a portion for indicating a result of a self-test, the result of the self-test indicating a malfunction in a driver assist function. 
     
     
       6. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the lens optic device is positioned between two substantially parallel surfaces of the PCB and the mirror element. 
     
     
       7. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element, wherein the cover element forms a cavity is in contact with the heating element. 
     
     
       8. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 7 , further comprising a spacer extending from an interior surface of the cover member to the first side of the PCB, wherein the spacer is configured to maintain the space between the cover member and the PCB. 
     
     
       9. A low profile optical lighting assembly for use in an outside vehicular mirror comprising:
 a light source disposed on a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) for projecting light through a gap in the PCB; 
 a lens optic device positioned adjacent to but spaced from the light source and positioned on a second side of the PCB from the light source; 
 a mirror element having at least one indicia so that light passing through the lens optic device illuminates the at least one indicia; 
 a heating element having an aperture disposed therein and positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element, wherein the lens optic device is configured to receive the light from the gap and spread the light over a surface of the mirror element larger than the gap, and wherein the PCB and the mirror element are substantially parallel to provide for a thin profile of the low profile optical lighting assembly; and 
 a cover member forming a cavity and in contact with the heating element, wherein the cover member houses the lens optic device, the PCB, and the light source, a spacer extending from the cover member and in direct contact with the first side. 
 
     
     
       10. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 9 , wherein the light source and the lens optic device have a depth in a range between approximately 4 mm to 9 mm. 
     
     
       11. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 9 , wherein the indicia includes a portion for indicating a result of a self-test. 
     
     
       12. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 9 , where the spacer is configured to maintain a space between the cover member and the PCB, the space corresponding to a height of the light source extending from the first side of the PCB. 
     
     
       13. An optical lighting assembly for use with a vehicular outside review mirror comprising:
 a printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one light source mounted thereon configured to emit light through a gap in the PCB, the at least one light source disposed on a first side of the PCB defining an emission direction substantially perpendicular to the PCB the light source having a height extending from the first side of the PCB; 
 a lens optic device disposed proximate to a second side of the PCB and spaced from the light source, wherein the lens optic device is configured to receive the light from light source and spread the light over an aperture substantially larger than the gap, the aperture corresponding to at least one indicia; 
 a mirror element extending substantially perpendicular to the emission direction and including at least one indicia; 
 a heating element positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element; 
 a cover member abutting the heating element and forming a cavity configured to house the light source, the PCB, and the lens optic device, wherein the cover member comprises a spacer in direct contact with the first side of the PCB and configured to maintain the height between the cover member and the PCB; and 
 wherein the light directed in the predetermined pattern from the lens optic device is used to illuminate the at least one indicia. 
 
     
     
       14. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an optical diffuser positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element for diffusing light escaping from the lens optic device. 
 
     
     
       15. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an optical brightness enhancement film (BEF) operable to increase a brightness of light transmitted from the lens optic device, the optical BEF positioned between the lens optic device and the mirror element for directing light towards the indicia. 
 
     
     
       16. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a heating element having the aperture therein for allowing the light from the lens optic device to pass through the aperture to the mirror element. 
 
     
     
       17. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one indicia is at least one from the group of a triangular shape, a figure representing two adjacent vehicles and a turn signal chevron. 
     
     
       18. A low profile optical light assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein the PCB, the at least one light source, and the lens optic device have a depth in a range between approximately 2 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
       19. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein the indicia includes a portion for indicting a result of a self-test. 
     
     
       20. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 13 , wherein the indicia is used for providing a driver assist function. 
     
     
       21. An optical lighting assembly for use with a vehicular outside rearview mirror comprising:
 a printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one light source mounted on a first side, the PCB configured to be disposed in a cover configured to connect to a carrier plate of the rearview mirror, the light source configured to emit light through a gap formed in the PCB; 
 a lens optic device positioned proximate to a second side of the PCB and configured to spread the light from the light source over a surface larger than the gap; 
 a mirror element extending substantially co-planar to the PCB including at least one indicia corresponding to the surface and illuminated from the lens optic device for signaling the driver of a driver assist function; and 
 a cover member extending from proximate the mirror element and forming a cavity configured to house the PCB, the light source, and the lens optic device, the cover member forming a projection configured to directly contact the first side of the PCB and form a space for the at least one light source between the cover member and the PCB. 
 
     
     
       22. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an optical diffuser positioned between the lens optic device and mirror element for diffusing light escaping from the lens optic device. 
 
     
     
       23. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a heating element having at least one aperture therein for allowing light from the lens optic device to pass through the aperture to the mirror element. 
 
     
     
       24. A low profile optical lighting assembly as in  claim 21 , wherein the driver assist function includes at least one from the group of: blind spot indication or obstacle detection. 
     
     
       25. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 23 , wherein the aperture is larger than the gap. 
     
     
       26. An optical lighting assembly as in  claim 21 , wherein a height of the light source extends from the first side and wherein the space formed by the projection provides for the height of the light source to extend between the cover member and the PCB.